Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-08-20

/ country, Aiphonse was persuaded that ne
would be seized, extradited, sent to France
| and guillotined. This was the idea that
haunted him, as King Charles head haunted
Mr. Dick, and he hrooded over II TIL hlS
Imagination Exaggerated the danger Ten
times. AS a matter of fact, the probabilty
is that his offense against the laws OF ms
country had long ago been forgotten, ana
that he would have been allowed to pass IN
molested anywhere except in France; but be
could not be. got to sec this. Constitutional
coward as the little man was, be Infinitely
preferred TO face the certain hardships aud
great risks and dangers of such an expedi-
ron as ours than to expose himself, notwith-
standing his intense longing for his native
land, to the possible scrutiny of police oti-
cer-which is after all, only another exem-
pli6cation of the truth that, to the majority
of men, a far OFF, foreseen danger however
shadowy, is much more terrible than the
most serious present emergency. After listen
ing to what be had to say, we consulted
among ourselves, and finally agreed, with
Mr.. Mackenzie's knowledge and consent, to
accept his offer. To begin with. we We're
very shorthanded, and Alphonse was quick,
active fellow, who could turn his hand 10
ANYTHING, and cook-ah, he could COOK!
believe that he would have made palatabie
dish of those CATERS of his heroic grandfather
which he was so fond of talking about Then
he was a good tempered little man, and
merry as q monkey, while his pompous, vain
glorious talk was source of infinite amuse-
lnent to US; and what is more, he never bore
malice OF course, his being so pronounced
4 coward was a great drawback to him, but
now that we knew his weakness, we could
lor. o,.l oft
ing nnini Of the undoubted risks he was expos
ing himself to, we told him that we would ac-
cept his offer on condition that he would
promise implicit obedience to our orders. We
also promised to give him wages at the rate
of 9lO O month should he ever return to
civilized country to receive them. To all of
this he agreed with alacrity, and retired to
write letter to his Annette, which Mr.. Mac
kenzie promised to post when he got down
country. He read it to us afterward, Sir
Henry translating, and wonderful compo-
sltion it was ] am sure the depth of his de-
yotion and the narration of his sufferings in
a barbarous country, "far, far from thee,
Annette, for whose adored sake endure such
sorrow" ought to have touched up the feel
ings of the stoniest hearted chambermaid.
Well, the morrow came. and by z o'clock
the donkeys were all loaded, and the time of
parting was at hand. 1t was melancholy
business, especially saying goodby to dear
little Flossie. She and were great friends.
and often used to have talks together-but
her nerves had never got over the shock of
that awful night when she lay in the power
of those bloodthirsty Nasal 'Oh, Mr.
Ouatermain," she cried, throwing her arms
round my neck and bursting into tears, III
can't bear to say goodby to you. l wonder
when we shall meet agains"
IL don't know, my dear little girl" l said.
@I am at one end of life and you are at the
other. have but short time before me at
best, and most things lie in the past. but
hope that for you there are many long and
happy years, and everything lies in the
future. By and by you will grow into
beautiful woman, Flossie, and all this wild
life will be like a far Off dream to you, but /
hope, even il we never do meet again, that
you viii think of your old friend and remem-
Der what say to you now Always try to
be good, my dear, and to do what is right,
rather than what happens to be pleasant, for
In tho end, whatever sneering people may
say, what is good and what is happy are the
same. Be unselfsh, and whenever you can
give helping hand to others-for the world
is full of suffering, my dear, and to alleviate
it is the noblest end that we can set before u.s.
If you do that you will become sweet and
God fearing woman and make many peo-
pies lives a little brighter, and then you will
not have lived, as so many of your sex do, in
vain. And now have given you lot OF
old fashioned advice, and so | am going to
give you something to sweeten it with. You
see this little piece of paper. 1t is what is
called check. When we are gone give it to
your father with this note-not before, mind.
You will marry one day, my dear little
Flossie, and it is to buy you wedding
present which you are to wear, and your
daughter after you, if you have one, in re-
membrance of Hunter Quartermain."
Poor little Flossie cried very much, and
| gave me a lock of her bright hair i'll return,
which still have. The check i gave her
was for 91.000 (which, being now well Off,
and having no calls upon me except those Of
charity, | could well afford, and in the note
directed her father to invest it for her in
government security, and when she married
or came Of age, to buy her the best diamond
necklace he could get for the money and
accumulated interest. | chose diamonds be-
cause think now that King Selomons mines
are lost TO the world, their price will never
| be much lower than it is at present; so that
| if in after life she should ever be in pecuniary
| difficulties, she win be able to turn them into
| money.
Wei, at last we got off after much hand
| shaking, hat waving, and also farewell salut-
| ing from the natives, Alphonse weeping CO.
| piously for he has a warm heart at parting
| with his master and mistress; and was not
sorry for it at ALL for l hate those goodbys
| Perhaps the most affecting thing of all was
to witness Umslopogaas' distress at parting
| with Flossie, for whom the grim old warrior
had conceived a strong affection He used
| TO say that she was as sweet to see as the only
star on a dark night, and was never tired OF
loudly congratulating himself Oh having
killed the Lygonani who had threatened to
murder her. And that was the last we saw